If you arrive at the Fayette Community Church on Sunday mornings about 9:45 a.m. and the smell of fresh popcorn is in the air, don't be surprised.

This four-year-old congregation is housed in the original movie theater in Fayetteville. It has three theaters in it. One is used for the adult church, one for the children's church and the third one has been completely rebuilt for offices and a fellowship hall. The square footage is 10,000 feet and nicely houses its 200 members.

The church began with four families, however word of mouth spread and when it began meeting in the Whitewater Middle School, over 200 people were on hand. They also met at McIntosh High School for awhile.

There are seven home groups of about eight to 12 each, who meet during the month in homes. They share Bible studies, various aspects of their lives and a sense of community. Pastor Mark Davenport holds monthly training sessions for each home group leader.

"We feel it important," he said, "to try different ways to reach people."

Pastor Davenport was born and reared in Detroit, coming with his family to Georgia when he was 13 years old. He is a graduate of Rockdale High School, Asbury College in Kentucky, took his Masters in Divinity at Asbury Theological Seminary, and his Doctorate of Ministry in 1994 at that seminary.

He married wife, Cristie, whom he had met at a church in Florida, in 1982. She is also a graduate of Asbury College and is currently working on her master's degree at West Georgia College. She is looking forward to being an educational counselor in public schools.

They are the parents of Matthew, 6; and Jonathan, 4.

Pastor Davenport wrote his doctoral dissertation on "Starting New Congregations" and he is practicing what he wrote.

Getting them started is one thing, but giving them a purpose is another, and he feels they are doing that at Fayette Community Church.

"Our church is designed to reach out to the unchurched," he said. "I want us to become known as the church for the unchurched, for this place to be a safe place that people can come to and feel we are speaking their language.

"We feel sensitive to their sensitivities and we want to make a difference in their daily life. We are a seven-day a week church.

"We participate in sports activities, in the Crisis Pregnancy programs and working with single parents," he added.

The church's mission statement reads: "Fayette Community Church is a contemporary ministry called to encourage seekers to become fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ". It invites you to join them in this mission on Sunday mornings at 10 a.m.; Promiseland, a service for children, is held at 10 a.m.; and on Wednesday evenings, middle and high schoolers meet at 7 p.m.

A new program called "Chick Flicks" that allows the ladies to have a night out once a month for a movie, popcorn and soft drinks, is being initiated on Sunday nights.